Map of Bauchi State
By NANA AISHA, Bauchi –
The Federal Government has said it would target about 3,500 people in Bauchi State for the single dose Rifampicin post exposure prophylaxis (SDR-PEP)treatment under the Ready 4PEP project.
Speaking at the launch of the project in Misau LGA of the state, The Executive Director, National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Jos, Dr. Tahir Dahiru, cited Bauchi, Niger, Jigawa, Kebbi, Ebonyi and Cross River as the benefiting states in Nigeria.
Dr. Dahiru said the programme would target 21,000 persons across the six benefitting states with contacts confirming that new and old patients would receive the SDR-PEP treatment.
In his speech, an official of the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy Control Center (NTLCP), Mr Umman Bassey said that SDR-PEP was a strategy towards zero leprosy infection, disease and disability.
“Nigeria is among the 23 countries around the world that contribute 97 percent of the world’s leprosy burden, with2,424 new leprosy cases reported in 2019 alone.
“The implementation of the Single Dose Rifampicin Post Exposure Prophylaxis (SDR-PEP) is a multi-stakeholder project, to be conducted in Nigeria and Mozambique,” he said.
He added that the initiative was a collaboration between Netherlands Leprosy Relief and the International Leprosy, Tuberculosis Relief Nigeria.
Bassey said that the exercise was aimed at implementing active case search, contact screening and administration of the single dose, by trained personnel provided with adequate logistics.
Dr Sani Dambam, Chairman, Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA), said that Shira and Misau LGAs were selected for the pilot exercise, due to their prevalence rates.
In his contribution, the Director, Primary Healthcare, Misau Local government council, disclosed that five centres had been established within the council area for the treatment of leprosy.
Alhaji Suleiman Ahmed, the Emir of Misau, applauded the Federal government initiative aimed at curbing the disease, while also commending all stakeholders in the programme for improving public health.